Predictive Factors of success in a Community-Based Drug Court

Drug treatment courts, representing a hybrid of clinical services and criminal justice interventions, represent a popular alternative to incarceration for drug-involved offenders to help communities cope with overcrowded jails and unsatisfactory recidivism rates.  The Richmond City Drug Treatment Court is in an urban, mid-Atlantic community that has been designated a HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) since 2005 (HIDTA, 2013).  While drug courts are championed by many as a proven, effective alternative to ‘traditional’ offender parole and probation in many communities, some debate remains as the body of evidence continues to grow.  The GPRA (Government Performance and Results Act) Interview instrument represents a desirable tool for measuring the effects of drug court interventions over time. [The GPRA assesses demographic and risk behavior factors, drug and alcohol use and criminal activity, allowing for longitudinal comparisons of drug court participants  throughout treatment.  The present study utilized an ongoing evaluation database from a SAMHSA-funded drug court to examine GPRA intake responses and 6-month change scores as measures and predictors of successful program outcomes.  Preliminary analyses reveal a 30.6% increase in abstinence from alcohol and drug use, which was also associated with a 25% improvement in employment, stable social connectedness, and stability in housing.  Additional analyses show positive relationships between employment, social connectedness and housing stability with drug court graduation and other measures of drug court success.  Through examination of the predictive value of GPRA measurements, the authors will explore factors associated with drug court success in communities hard hit by drug trafficking.